The invention disclosed relates to a packaging and application device for a product, in particular a fluid product such as for example nail varnish remover.
Nail vanish remover products are for the most part packaged in bottles and require the use of a cotton wool swab for their application. Wipes impregnated with remover also exist which have the advantage of being more readily transportable. However, these two types of application have the major drawback that it is difficult to remove the varnish from a nail on one hand without damaging the varnish on the other nails of both hands, particularly the hand in which the cotton wool swab or wipe is being held. It often happens that the varnish on a single nail is damaged and it is needed to remove the varnish from this nail only without re-applying varnish to both hands. Similarly, when it is desired to remove the varnish from the toenails, the use of a cotton wool swab or wipe impregnated with remover removes the varnish from the nails of the hand holding the swab or wipe.
For this reason, the need has arisen for an applicator device for a nail varnish remover product which can be used to remove the varnish from a single nail if desired, without removing the varnish from the other nails.
In particular, the need has arisen for a device of the type which includes a receptacle containing the product and an applicator element capable of communicating with the product contained in the receptacle through a passage which can be opened or closed in response to the actuation of an intermediate element placed between the applicator and the receptacle.
Numerous application devices of this type have already been described for other types of products.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,527 describes a device including a bottle onto which is screwed a collar integral with an applicator brush. When the collar is screwed to its maximum extent onto the bottle, the brush is isolated from the inside of the bottle by means of a centre-post which blanks off a communicating aperture between the bottle and brush. To use the device, the user unscrews the collar which moves the aperture away from the centre-post thereby providing sufficient clearance to allow the product to pass from the bottle to the brush. In this device, no closure cap is provided to cover the brush in the closed position so that the brush is not protected.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,409,933 describes in one of the embodiments a bottle including an outlet aperture formed outside the longitudinal axis of the bottle, and which is surmounted by an applicator having an inlet aperture also formed outside the longitudinal axis of the bottle. A cap is provided to cover the applicator in the closed position. In the closed position, the two apertures are offset in such a way that the product cannot reach the applicator. To place the applicator in communication with the product, the user removes the cap then turns the applicator so as to bring the two apertures into alignment with each other. To close the device, the user must first turn the applicator to place the two apertures in the offset position, then replace the cap. Two separate movements are thus necessary both to open and close the device.
In certain devices, the cap serving to protect the applicator is also used to close the passage allowing communication between the inside of the receptacle and the applicator. This is notably the case in the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,742 wherein a screwing action applied to the closure cap causes the collar integral with the applicator to move downward. However, placement of the applicator in communication with the inside of the receptacle must be done by hand, i.e. the user must first unscrew the cap then pull on the collar in order to open up the passage between the inside of the receptacle and the applicator.
In other devices, opening of the cap causes the applicator to be placed in communication with the product contained in the receptacle. This is notably the case in the devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,579 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,887. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,579, the cap is opened by means of a linear movement on the longitudinal axis of the device. When it is opened, the cap causes the movement by friction of an intermediate part carrying the applicator and the clearance of a passage aperture allowing the applicator to communicate with the product contained inside the receptacle. To shut off communication between the applicator and the product inside the receptacle, the user can use the cap to cause the intermediate part carrying the applicator to move downward on the longitudinal axis. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,887, the cap is screwed onto the receptacle, under a bellows formed in the neck of the receptacle. In this position, the bellows is compressed. When the cap is unscrewed, the bellows expands and a passage aperture is cleared enabling the applicator to communicate with the product inside the receptacle. When the cap is screwed back onto the receptacle, the bellows is compressed and the aperture recloses.
In these two devices, the applicator is placed in communication with the product inside the receptacle by causing a part carrying the applicator to move along the longitudinal axis of the receptacle. When the product is applied to an area to be treated, pressure is exerted on the applicator along this axis, so that the passage aperture tends to reclose as the product is being applied, which is not at all desirable.
Patent application Ser. No. FR 2 681 050 describes a device with a dispensing tip fitted with a cap in which screwing/unscrewing causes the tip to open/close. However, a dispensing tip of this kind is not suitable for the application of a nail varnish remover to remove the varnish from one nail. Moreover, unscrewing the cap causes the cap to move to the open position due to the presence of bosses on the sidewall of the tip. A configuration of this kind does not allow the cap to be screwed back onto the bottle, when the tip is closed by hand, owing to the presence of the bosses.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a packaging and application device for a fluid product which does not have the drawbacks of the prior art.
A particular object of the invention is to provide a device which enables nail varnish to be removed from one nail without damaging the varnish on the other nails.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device which is easy to use and which enables the product and applicator to be packaged in a manner such that the applicator is isolated from the product contained in the receptacle.
A further object of the invention is also to provide a device of this kind wherein the applicator element can be changed without risk of leakage of the product from the receptacle.